Just A Little Secret
by Shadode
Summary: Gohan discovers one of Piccolo's well-hidden secrets. It's not something you'd expect. Lots of kawaii-ness though! ^_^


I dunno if this is true or not. I'm just going by what I see and thought I'd play with an idea. Have fun!

Just A Little Secret

"Hey Mr. Piccolo!!!!!" Gohan's shrill voice rose over the valley and echoed off of every rock wall.

Piccolo, who WAS meditating, winced and grimaced as the shrill tones bit into his ears. He let out a growl and stood up to face Gohan. "Gohan! How many times have I told you NOT TO YELL when entering this valley?" He crossed his arms, the wind blowing his cape as he waited for an answer.

"S-sorry…" Little Gohan lowered his eyes and rocked his weight from his heels to his toes in slight embarrassment. But then he brightened and said, "Hey, Mr. Piccolo! I wrote a poem that won a prize!" He thrust the paper practically into the Namek's face. "Here ya go! Tell me what you think."

Piccolo sweatdropped and grabbed the paper, moving it a few inches away so he could at least see it. He stared at it for a period of zero-point-two seconds, then handed it back. "Gohan, we don't have time for this sentimental stuff. You're supposed to be training! And what are you still doing in your school clothes?"

With a sad face, Gohan nodded. "I'm sorry, Mr. Piccolo. I thought you'd like the poem since it's about you."

Piccolo got an idea. "Read it to me while I stretch. I'll tell you what I think when I'm done." He snorted, "I guess."

"OK!" He cleared his throat. Piccolo started to stretch his long legs as Gohan read:

"_Mr. Piccolo is super strong.  
He can fight all day long.  
I have a lot of fun when he trains me.  
And that is the way it should always be.  
Thanks to him, I can fly.  
And thanks to him, I don't cry.  
Nothing scares me, thanks to Mr. Piccolo.  
He's always with me, no matter where I go.  
He's my friend  
To the end."_

The whole sentimental poem made Piccolo want to vomit, but he managed to swallow his afternoon's water and smirk. "It's nice, I guess. C'mon, let's go train."

Gohan sighed, folded the poem and placed it under a rock where nothing could find it. Then he joined his best friend and prepared for the afternoon's training.

"Gohan, why the long face?" ChiChi asked when she noticed Gohan moping over his dinner. He'd hardly touched any of it, and usually he was devouring it faster than she could put it down.

Heaving a sigh, Gohan put down his chopsticks, "I don't think Mr. Piccolo liked my poem. He said he did but…he wouldn't read it."

"Hm. Maybe he was having a bad day. Why were you even out there in the first place?" ChiChi's voice hardened, "You're supposed to be studying, young man. I want to see your nose in those books as soon as you finish your supper, understand?"

"Yes, mom." Gohan sighed and started to eat, but he was formulating a plan in his head. _I know! I'll take a story about fighting to him! Maybe he'll like that! Yeah…he'll like it._

ChiChi's light had just gone out. Gohan opened his bedroom door a crack and peeked out, then slipped sneakily out of his pajamas to reveal that he'd only put them on over his gi. He then grabbed his book about fighting techniques, tucked it under his arm and snuck out of the house through his bedroom window.

Out in the valley, Piccolo was meditating near a campfire when he felt a familiar power approaching. He opened his black eyes to find Gohan landing on the other side of the fire. "What are you doing here? Isn't your mother going to blow a blood vessel?"

Gohan chuckled, "Nope. She's asleep. Anyway, I brought you this!" He held up the bright blue book with the word 'Mastering The Martial Arts' written across the cover.

"A book, eh?" Piccolo muttered, "Great." He wrinkled his nose and looked back down at the fire.

Getting a little fed-up with Piccolo ignoring these things, Gohan spoke up, "Do you even have a clue what this book is about?"

"What game are you playing, Gohan?"

"None!" The boy replied in a serious tone, "What does the title of this book say?"

Piccolo glared across the fire, "It's too dark to see it."

"No it isn't!" Gohan snapped, getting a little more courage despite the angry expression on his teacher's face. "You can't read, can you?"

Piccolo got up and glared down at Gohan, "I'm not standing for any of your games, Gohan." He turned his back to the boy.

"Tell me the truth! I've always told YOU the truth, Mr. Piccolo! I thought you were my FRIEND!!!!"

"Grr!" The Namek growled, tightening his hands into fists to prevent himself from taking off and fleeing this situation. He hated to see Gohan angry, especially at him. Like it or not, he hated to see the boy unhappy period. Instead of shouting back, he let out an irritated sigh and forced a calmer tone, "Gohan, when you grow up the way people like me do, you don't have time to learn how to read."

"I could teach you." Gohan murmured in a really quite tone, almost like he expected to get yelled at for even thinking of such a thing. "B'sides, it can be our secret. I don't see you telling my mom that I sneak out at night. So why should I tell people that you can't read?" He held out his hand and smiled, "Deal, Mr. Piccolo?"

Piccolo heaved a sigh. If it would make the kid happy, he figured he'd might as well do it. Turning around, he took Gohan's small hand in his large one and gave it a brief shake. "Deal." _Why do I let myself get suckered into things like this?_ He thought.

Grinning, Gohan hopped back into a sitting position and opened the book. The letters looked like foreign hieroglyphics to Piccolo, but he just gritted his teeth and stuck with it as Gohan pointed out every syllable and sounded it out for him.

For many months after that, Gohan and Piccolo would crouch next to the campfire for a 'lesson'. Piccolo learned pretty fast, but still seemed to refuse any books Gohan brought him for fun.

But then, one night, after Gohan was asleep, Piccolo picked up the book that the child had brought and flipped it open. He slid a slender finger over the first page and began to smile as he read, a bit pleased with himself that he could figure out the longer words on his own. _Being the student had it's advantages after all…_He thought as he got engrossed in the story. He was enjoying it, even though it was something he never thought he'd read.

Piccolo turned slightly so he could get the pages in better light. For a few brief seconds, the firelight illuminated the cover of the book, revealing it's title: _A Love Story._


End file.
